Pulling Wings
by monicawoe
Summary: Lucifer and Sam in the Cage.  the prompt word was 'interrogation'


Lucifer's Cage was created when Lucifer fell. It's very fabric was woven from God's will, the indignation of the Host, and Lucifer's fury.

Lucifer entertained himself by tormenting Sam - body and soul - until Castiel tried to free him. He only freed Sam's body, leaving Lucifer with the soul of his vessel. Lucifer was furious about losing even a part of Sam, but made sure to torment Sam's soul even more thoroughly.

Death himself took Sam's soul back and left Lucifer empty-handed. Michael spoke to Lucifer for the first time in nearly two centuries. He left Adam broken and unconscious - he just didn't seem that interesting anymore. It was one thing when Lucifer had Sam - back when they both had flies to pull the wings off of, but now...it just felt pointless.

Michael and Lucifer turned their eyes to Earth and watched. They were archangels, and even from here they could see everything - it only made their imprisonment crueler, after all. So much power, impotent to affect anything. All they could do was watch.

They saw Castiel betray Crowley, swallow down Purgatory's inhabitants, destroy Raphael with a snap of his fingers, and declare himself God.

Michael scoffed and shook his head.

Lucifer stayed curiously silent.

Castiel spent his very short reign righting wrongs, and slaughtering his brethren - anyone that had sided with Raphael.

His vessel started to fall apart. He went to the Winchesters in desperation and - with Death's help - returned the souls of Purgatory to their home.

The leviathans stayed behind, took over Castiel's tattered vessel and stumbled into the local water supply just before the vessel exploded.

Michael watched the serpents take over, worming their way into positions of power. They also found one way after another to make the Winchesters' lives more miserable.

Shaking his head, Michael turned to Lucifer and said, "Our battle would have caused less damage."

Lucifer stared at him, but didn't say a word.

Michael continued, "I mean, Castiel alone -"

Something in Lucifer snapped. He moved faster than thought, pinning Michael with his rage and said, "Explain something to me."

Michael found he couldn't say a single word.

"This little brother of ours - Father brought him back - _twice_. Why? He throws himself in with his precious humans, betrays them, kills _hundreds_ of our siblings, claims the throne of Heaven and Father does _nothing_." Lucifer staggered back, like he'd been struck, "Wer'e trapped down here, _forever_...and for _what_?"

Lucifer's grip on Michael weakened and Michael said, "We're trapped here because of _you_. Because you _rebelled_. That's why Father cast you out."

Lucifer shook his head, "Father wasn't the one who threw me down here, Michael. _You_ were."

"Because Father commanded it. Because _I_ obey him."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, _hours_, _days_.

"What did Father say, exactly? What did he say about me, when he - when he _commanded_ you cast me into Hell?"

Michael swallowed, and looked away.

Lucifer's fury came flaring back to life. His wings unfurled and spread as wide as the Cage itself. They pushed into and through Michael as Lucifer demanded, "**Tell me. Tell me, brother.**"

Michael gasped as Lucifer pushed the tips of his wings further into him, searing his grace with his rage. "There was dissent in the ranks of the Host - for the first time in existence - all because of you."

"Because I wouldn't bow to those useless sacks of flesh. I was **right**. Look at what happens when you let them influence you."

"You wouldn't bow, and the Host knew - they knew that Father wouldn't punish you."

Lucifer snarled, "What are you talking about."

"You - you were his _favorite_. That's why he couldn't even -" Michael let his head hang and panted, exhausted from fighting off Lucifer's anger. "That's why he ordered _me_ to cast you down. He couldn't do it." Michael looked back up and his eyes were filled with sorrow. "He said...he said we needed an _example_."

Lucifer shook his head and collapsed - a marionette with its strings cut.

Michael, free from Lucifer's hold, walked past his brother, tried to think of something to say, anything...but he couldn't. He left his brother to his thoughts and went back to pull the wings off a fly.


End file.
